Glen Hansard sadly passed away in a motorcycle crash on Wednesday morning.
He was inundated with tributes from Irish faces after the news broke.
Now the likes of Bono, Bob Geldof and Bruce Springsteen have come out to share their own tributes to the Irish musician.
In a statement, U2 frontman Bono wrote: “Sometimes I would wonder if Glen Hansard really existed….
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“Seriously, he was such an angelic presence… not otherworldly…in fact, very present this presence…
“A smiling rascal if you needed him to be… this most musical and mischievous archangel of Ballymun… no airs, plenty of graces… Of course, Glen was the shining star of the Christmas Eve busk… sometimes the only one reminding the rest of us that Christmas began with a refugee born in a manger, which is hardly a step from living on the street,” he continued.
“To be utterly yourself by being more interested in others – a clue for any of us trying out different personas. He really was who you thought he was. He could never walk by a person living rough without checking they were OK… and more than that, he worked very hard so that less people had to live on the streets in the first place.
“When the crowds got bigger and for safety’s sake Glen had to agree to move the busk to a stage kindly provided outside The Gaiety Theatre, he would say ‘we’ll give it our best but it’s not a busk if we’re not on the street!’ …because that’s who he was – a performer at eye level in any situation.
“The stage was a separation he wouldn’t recognize. Of all the grand and gigantic venues he and The Frames played, you sensed the street was his most favoured place to perform. And street people, his favourite audience. Voice of the streets. A choir of angels in one man.
“The rest of us blessed to stand there beside our very own and very earthed Angel Gabriel… All of us welcome in his choir, whatever shape or form. ….and I’m telling myself this morning that if he never existed, then he can never cease to exist. For me, he will always be everywhere I see a coin spinning into an open guitar case. May you rest in the peace you gave to so many.”
Bruce Springsteen also took to social media to share his heartbreak following the sudden death of The Frames frontman.
“Here on E Street, we are heartbroken over the death of Glen Hansard,” he began.
“We met in Ireland many years ago and he was always nothing but a great musician, a good friend and a generous and gracious man.
“Always positive, smiling and ready to sing. God bless him and his loved ones.”
Bob Geldof wrote a heartfelt statement that read: “Glen was wonderful. The universe lacks mercy or justice that such a sweet, thoughtful, burstingly talented man should be so wantonly and violently killed on an early Irish morning backroad.
“Tragedy does not do justice to this terrible calamity for his family, the world of music and Ireland itself. For we have lost one of the great ones. A person and a songwriter and singer and musician and performer of great depth, understanding, compassion, daring and bravado.”
Ed Sheeran shared a picture of Glen on Instagram with the words: “Heartbroken to hear the news about Glen. He was such an incredible human, an incredible force. I am grateful for all the time we shared together, sending love to his family x.”
President Catherine Connolly released a statement that read: “As President of Ireland, may I join with all of those who have expressed such shock on learning of the death of Glen Hansard.
“Glen Hansard will be remembered as one of Ireland’s great singer-songwriters. Glen and his band the Frames stood out as one of the leaders of the thriving wave of Irish bands who emerged in the 1990s and were the source of so much inspiration to a generation of young people and musicians.
“Glen would go on to achieve well deserved worldwide recognition for his work with Markéta Irglová, most notably for their wonderful performances in the film Once, for which they so deservedly won the Oscar for Best Original Song, and later for his solo work. This recognition in film built on Glen’s earlier star turn in The Commitments, where he played the role of Outspan Foster.”
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She continued: “Whether with the Frames, with Markéta, or as a solo artist, Glen was renowned for his incomparable live performances, beautiful evenings of music where Glen would regale audiences with stories as well as his music, along with that of many of those who had touched his life over the decades.
“Glen will also be remembered for the generosity with which he shared his fame, providing encouragement to young musicians and performers, while working to assist with important causes, in particular those suffering from homelessness, with his annual Christmas Eve busk in Dublin’s city centre one of the highlights of the Christmas period.
“Glen was one of the vital driving influences of the Irish music world, bringing people together in the sharing of live music. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him or experienced his work.
“May I express my deepest condolences to Glen’s wife Maire, to his son Christy, and to all family and friends both in Ireland and throughout the world.”
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Dermot Kennedy shared a black and white pictures of himself with Glen along with a collage of pictures of them at the Christmas Eve busker.
“‘As soon as you start to think it’s important that your name is on the top of the bill, you’ve lost the run of yourself,'” he began his post.
“Glen said that to me backstage in Vicar Street in 2014, when I asked him why he’d invited me up to sing one of my songs during his show. He said ‘the stage is yours for 10 minutes. Do it solo, play with the band, do whatever you want’. He put me on stages when no one else would.
“The sole reason I opened up my case and started to sing on Grafton Street when I was 16. He showed me nothing but kindness and support since the very beginning. The level of inspiration I felt watching him when I was starting out is hard to describe. So thank you Glen, for always singing like it was the last chance you’d get. We all felt it.”
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Hozier also took to social media to reminsce about his time with Glen.
“Sharing in the shock and sorrow today at the news that we lost Glen Hansard,” he wrote.
“Glen’s legacy reaches far beyond that of an Irish or Dublin musician who’s work became beloved globally; he was a uniquely central feature and vessel of Irish story telling on both stage, screen and street for as long as many of us can remember.
“Glen is so indelibly tied into the life and breath of Irish music, and particularly the city of Dublin, that it feels utterly surreal to imagine that he could be gone from us now.”
He continued: “His beautiful work was an inspirational component of my own and so many other’s upbringing and adult life, as was his consistent kindness, support and advocacy. This was a man who gave a remarkable amount of himself to song itself, to his shows, to the city he loved and to a community of musicians who loved and admired him dearly.
“I’ll be among countless artists and fans today reflecting on his impact on our own life and work. My thoughts in particular are with his family and close friends at this moment.”
Rest in peace, Glen.
